Bluff penetrating outfall drainage system

ABSTRACT

A system and method to remove surface water from a watershed atop a hill behind a bluff to an outfall point near a toe of the bluff, and a method to build the system. The system includes a catch basin structure and a catch basin drain pipe directionally bored from the catch basin structure to the outfall point. The location of the catch basin is determined based on a location of the outfall point and a desired slope of the catch basin drain pipe. The catch basin structure has a catch basin with an opening near its bottom, and a cover structure that provides a sculpted, rounded and smooth transition from the opening to a reducing pipe coupled with the catch basin drain pipe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed generally to surface water drainagesystems, in particular, a system that discharges surface water throughan outfall to a body of water such as a river, lake or ocean.

2. Description of the Related Art

Water that collects on the surface of the land from rain or othersources will typically follow the path of least resistance until itreaches a local low point, usually a body of water such as a river, lakeor ocean. If the path is steep, significant erosion of the land mayoccur. In developed areas, erosion is highly undesirable. Erosion candegrade support for buildings on the land, which may damage or destroysuch buildings. Hence the owners of developed land usually want to takeactive steps to minimize erosion.

Water that collects on a surface behind a bluff presents a particularchallenge in minimizing erosion. Some water may be absorbed into theground and flow through the ground towards the local low point. However,if the ground is saturated or significantly paved, surface water willflow, usually towards and over the bluff. This can lead to significanterosion at the top and bottom of the bluff.

One traditional solution has been to route the surface water into atrough or pipe that extends over a lip of the bluff. This solutionreduces the direct erosion on the bluff. However, it may increaseerosion in front of the bluff, which may have the effect of underminingthe bluff and eroding the bluff none the less. Another traditionalsolution is to route a pipe down the face of the bluff. This solutionhas a disadvantage in that it is difficult to secure the pipe to a bluffthat is erosive. It has a further disadvantage in that it degrades thenatural beauty of the bluff.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional side view drawing of an embodiment of abluff penetrating outfall drainage system.

FIG. 1B is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of a bluffpenetrating outfall drainage system.

FIG. 2B is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of a bluffpenetrating outfall drainage system.

FIG. 3B is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a top plan view of an embodiment of a dispersal structure.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional side view of the dispersal structureembodiment of FIG. 4A taken along the line 4B-4B.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a catch basinstructure.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a procedure for constructing a bluffpenetrating outfall drain system.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method for building the catch basinstructure specified in the method shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional side view drawing of an embodiment of abluff penetrating outfall drainage system 100. FIG. 1B is a top planview of the embodiment of FIG. 1A. The bluff penetrating outfalldrainage system 100 is configured to remove surface water from on top ofa hill 102 with a bluff 104 on a side of the hill.

The bluff 104 is a side of the hill 102 that has a slope of 100% orgreater between two points on the hill 102, a bluff head 106 above and abluff toe 108 below. The bluff 104 may have one or more sections thathave local slopes of less than 100% while the overall slope from bluffhead 106 to bluff toe 108 is greater than 100%. An object can bedescribed as behind the bluff 104 if the object is not on the bluff 104and is closer to the bluff head 106 than the bluff toe 108. An objectcan be described as in front of the bluff 104 if the object is not onthe bluff 104 and is closer to the bluff toe 108 than the bluff head106.

A bluff knee 109 is a point on the bluff 104 between the bluff head 106and bluff toe 108. The portion of the bluff 104 between the bluff knee109 and the bluff toe 108 has a slope of less than 100%, even though theoverall slope of the bluff 104 between the bluff head 106 and bluff toeis greater than 100%.

The hill 102 has a hilltop 114 located behind the bluff 106. The hilltop114 has a slope of less than 100% over at least the same horizontaldistance behind the bluff 104 as the horizontal distance between thebluff head 106 and bluff toe 108. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 A and 1B, the hilltop 114 is a flat and generally level plateau. In otherembodiments, the hilltop 114 is not a plateau and the hilltop 114continues to gain elevation with distance from the bluff head 106. Inyet other embodiments, the hilltop 114 losses elevation with distancefrom the bluff head 106.

A bluff base 128 extends in front of the bluff toe 108. The bluff base128 includes everything beneath a surface of the bluff base. The bluffbase 128 is not considered part of the hill 102. The bluff base 128 hasa slope of less than 100% over at least the same horizontal distance infront of the bluff as the horizontal distance between the bluff head 106and bluff toe 108. In some embodiments, the bluff base 128 is a rockybeach. In other embodiments, the bluff base 128 is a paved surface ofconcrete or similar material. The bluff base 128 extends to a low point130 which may contain a body of water such as a river, lake or ocean, orjust a lower elevation land surface.

The bluff penetrating outfall drainage system 100 includes a collectionbasin 116 disposed in the hilltop 104. The collection basin 116 isconfigured to collect surface water from the hilltop 104. Typically, thesurface water originates from rain or other forms of precipitation. Acollection basin drain pipe 118 is coupled with the collection basin 116and is configured to drain the water that has collected in thecollection basin 116. The collection basin drain pipe 118 is coupled toa catch basin structure 120. The catch basin structure 120 is configuredto receive the water drained from the collection basin 116 by thecollection basin drain pipe 118. Typically, the collection basin drainpipe 118 has a slight downward slope from the collection basin 116 tothe catch basin structure 120. This allows the water in the collectionbasin 116 to flow by force of gravity alone through the collection basindrain pipe 118 to the catch basin structure 120. In some embodiments, apump (not shown) may be used to move the water from the collection basin116 to the catch basin structure 120.

A catch basin drain pipe 122 is coupled with the catch basin structure120. The catch basin drain pipe 122 extends from the catch basinstructure 120 through the hill 102. The catch basin drain pipe 122 isinstalled using directional boring techniques. A desired range for theslope of the catch basin drain pipe 122 is 30% to 100%. The catch basindrain pipe 122 exits the hill 102 at an outfall point 124. The outfallpoint 124 is near the bluff toe 108, within a distance equal to 25% ofthe elevation gain of the bluff 104. In this embodiment, the outfallpoint 124 is also below the bluff knee 109. In some embodiments, theoutfall point 124 is also below the bluff toe 108.

A dispersal structure 126 is coupled with the catch basin drain pipe122. In this embodiment, the dispersal structure 126 is disposed nearthe bluff toe 108. In other embodiments, the dispersal structure 126 isfarther down the bluff base 128 and is coupled with the catch basindrain pipe 122 through an extension pipe. The dispersal structure 126 isconfigured to dissipate the kinetic energy and reduce the velocity thatthe water has gained in descending the catch basin drain pipe 122. Thedispersal structure 126 is configured to disperse the water over an areaof the bluff base 128 wider than the catch basin drain pipe 122 in orderto minimize erosion. The water flows from the dispersal structure 126over or through the bluff base 128 to the low point 130.

The piping used in this and the following exemplary embodiments is madeof High-Density PolyEthylene (HDPE). However, other materials may beused without departing from the invention.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of a bluffpenetrating outfall drainage system 100. FIG. 2B is a top plan view ofthe same embodiment. In this embodiment, the hilltop 104 is not flatplateau, but loses elevation with distance from the bluff head 106. Thecatch basin structure 120 is positioned farther from the bluff head 106than is the collection basin 116. This allows the collection basin 116to drain by gravity into the catch basin structure 120 through thecollection basin drainage pipe 118.

This embodiment also features the outfall point 124 located below thetoe of the bluff 108 and below the surface of the bluff base 128. Thishas the advantage that once the bluff penetrating outfall drainagesystem 100 is installed, the bluff 106 and the bluff base 128 appear ina state that is nearly identical to the state before the installation.Water descending from the catch basin structure 120 through the catchbasin drain pipe 122 is received 124 by the dispersal structure 126. Inthis embodiment, the bluff base 128 comprises a layer of small to mediumsize rocks. The rocks are sized to provide a high resistance path towater flowing at high velocity between the rocks of the layer, but a lowresistance path to low velocity water. The rocks are typically four toeight inches in diameter. These rocks may be rounded beach rock orriprap. The rocks may have been placed on the beach naturally orartificially. The water dispersed from the dispersal structure 126 flowsbetween the rocks of the bluff base 128 and enters the low point 130. Aportion of the water may percolate above the bluff base 128 and flowover the rocks toward the low point. In this embodiment, the catch basindrain pipe 122 would exit the hill 102 in front of and below the blufftoe 108, in a pit excavated to facilitate installation of the dispersalstructure 126 and connection to the catch basin drain pipe 122. The pitwould then be backfilled with rock.

Referring to FIG. 2B, it can be seen that unlike the embodiment of FIGS.1A and 1B, in this second embodiment the catch basin structure 120 isnot in the same line as the collection basin 116 and the outfall point124. This illustrates the flexibility of the bluff penetrating outfalldrainage system 100. The collection basin 116 may be positioned in alocation best for collecting water. The outfall point 124 may bepositioned based on considerations of the best position on or in thebluff base 128 for an outfall. The catch basin structure 120 ispositioned based on obtaining specific downward slopes in the collectionbasin drain pipe and catch basin drain pipe. Thus the outfall point 124and the collection basin 116 may be positioned without undulyrestraining the position of each other. In the example of FIG. 2B, thecollection basin 116 has been placed close to the outfall point 124.This will cause the catch basin drain pipe 122 to have a slope steeperthan the desired range, if the positions of the collection basin 116,the catch basin structure 120 and the outfall point 124 are all in astraight line. Placing the catch basin structure 120 off from this lineand farther from the bluff 104 than the collection basin 116 results indesirable slopes for the collection basin drain pipe 118 and the catchbasin drain pipe 122.

FIG. 3A is the cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of thebluff penetrating outfall drainage system 100. FIG. 3B is a top planview of the same embodiment. Unlike the previous embodiments, in thisembodiment the hilltop 114 increases in elevation with distance from thehead of the bluff 106. In FIG. 3A, the catch basin drain pipe 122appears to have a slope much steeper than 100%. However, FIG. 3B showsthe catch basin drain pipe 122 is longer than it appears to be in FIG.3A. When viewed from above, the catch basin structure 120 has beensignificantly offset from a line between the collection basin 116 andthe outfall point 124 and positioned closer to the bluff 104 than thecollection basin 116. This allows the slope of the catch basin drainpipe 122 to be in the desirable range of 30%-100% and the slope of thecollection basin drain pipe 118 to have a slight downward slope towardsthe catch basin structure 120.

FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of the dispersalstructure 126. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional side view of the dispersalstructure 126 embodiment of FIG. 4A. The dispersal structure 126includes an expansion section 140, a spreader pipe 142 with perforations144, an erosion resistant surface 146, a gabion basket 148, and a layerof loose rocks 150.

The expansion section 140 is coupled with the catch basin drain pipe122. The expansion section 140 is a pipe with progressively increasingdiameter. The geometry of the expansion section 140 serves to slow theflow of water received from the catch basin drain pipe 122.

The spreader pipe 142 is coupled with expansion section 140. Thespreader pipe 142 is oriented traverse to the expansion section 140 andto the catch basin drain pipe 122. The spreader pipe 142 has numerousperforations 144 along its length. The spreader pipe 142 abruptlychanges the direction of water received from the expansion section 140and catch basin drain pipe 122, creating turbulence and reducing thekinetic energy of the water.

Removable end caps 145 are removably attached to the ends of thespreader pipe 142. The removable end caps 145 allow for maintenanceaccess into the spreader pipe 142, particularly to clean out debris thatmay have been swept down from the collection basin 116.

The erosion resistant surface 146 is disposed underneath the spreaderpipe 142. The erosion resistant surface 146 serves to prevent erosion ofthe ground underneath the spreader pipe 142 from high velocity wateremitting from the perforations 144 in the spreader pipe 142.

The gabion basket 148 is disposed around the sides and front of thespreader pipe 142. The gabion basket 148 is a wire basket filled withrocks. The gabion basket 148 holds in place the layer of loose rocks 150that covers the spreader pipe 142. The layer of the loose rocks 150 andthe gabion basket 148 present a torturous path for jets of wateremitting from the perforations 144 of the spreader pipe 142. The gabionbasket 148 may comprise a plurality of independent baskets set close byeach other and may be coupled by wire. The gabion basket 148 may be setapart from the spreader pipe 142 and may even be beyond the erosionresistant surface 146 as shown in FIG. 4A. Alternatively, the gabionbasket 148 may abut the spreader pipe 142 and be fixed to the spreaderpipe by wire or some other means.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a catch basinstructure 120. The catch basin structure 120 comprises a catch basin 158and adjoining structures including a reducing pipe 160, a coverstructure 170, and a breathing tube 168.

The catch basin structure 120 is disposed in a catch basin hole 159 duginto the hill surface 114. The depth of the catch basin hole 159 shouldbe sufficient to accommodate a desired downward slope in the collectionbasin drain pipe 118. Backfill 172 fills the catch basin hole 159 notoccupied by the catch basin 158 and the other adjoining structures.

The reducing pipe 160 is attached to the end of the catch basin drainpipe 122. The reducing pipe 160 has a small aperture at the lower endthat attaches to the catch basin drain pipe 122 and a large aperture atthe upper end, and a portion with gradually decreasing aperture betweenthe large aperture and small aperture. In this embodiment, the largeaperture is 24 inches in diameter and the smaller aperture is 14 inchesdiameter, but other similarly proportioned apertures may be used. Thelength of the gradually reducing aperture portion reducing pipe 160 isat least as long as large aperture diameter, but may be longer. Thereducing pipe 160 has the function of accelerating water entering theupper end with a venturi effect.

The breathing tube 168 is connected to the catch basin drain pipe 122.The breathing tube 168 prevents or reduces vapor lock in the catch basindrain pipe 122. Vapor lock can occur when water in the catch basin 158is blocked or slowed from entering the reducing pipe 160 and catch basindrain pipe 122 due to air in these pipes. Without the breathing tube168, as water flows in, this air will flow back through the reducer pipe160, disrupting the acceleration of the water there. With the breathingtube 168, water leaving the catch basin 158 can push any air in front ofit to the breathing tube, through which the air may escape. Thebreathing tube 168 is sized to be sufficient to prevent vapor lock. Inthis embodiment, the breathing tube 168 has a 2 inch inside diameter. Inthis embodiment, the breathing tube 168 is connected at a location onthe catch basin drain pipe 122 immediately adjacent to the reducing pipe160. In other embodiments, the breathing tube 168 may be located fartheraway from the reducing pipe 168. The breathing tube 168 connects toreducing tee 166. In this embodiment, the reducing tee 166 is anintegral part of the catch basin drain pipe 122. In other embodiments,the reducing tee 166 is a separate part connected to the catch basindrain pipe 122 by welding or similar means.

The cover structure 170 abuts the catch basin 158 adjacent to an opening161 in the catch basin 158. The opening 161 is larger than the largeaperture of the reducing pipe 164. In this embodiment, the opening 161is 36 inches in diameter, but another size opening 161 may be used. Achannel 162 penetrates the cover structure 170, providing a conduit forwater to flow from the opening 161 to the reducer pipe 164. The coverstructure 170 has an entrance structure 163 that merges with walls ofthe catch basin 158 around the opening 161 and provides a sculpted,rounded and smooth transition from the opening 161 to the channel 162.The sculpted, rounded and smooth entrance structure 163 functions toreduce turbulent flow in water entering the channel 162 and facilitatingvortex formation, both of which can increase the rate of flow of waterinto the catch basin drain pipe 122. The cover structure 170 is made ofconcrete poured around the catch basin drain pipe 122.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method for constructing a bluffpenetrating outfall drain system 100. Step 200 specifies determining alocation for a collection basin behind a bluff. This determination ismade based on factors that may include cost and the best elevationlocation to collect surface water.

Step 202 specifies determining the location for the outfall point infront of the bluff. This determination is made based on factors that mayinclude cost and environmental impacts.

Step 204 specifies determining the location for a catch basin structurebehind the bluff. This determination is made based on factors thatinclude the locations of the collection basin and the outfall point, andbased on obtaining desirable slopes for the collection basin drain pipeand the catch basin drain pipe.

Step 206 specifies directionally boring a hole from the determined catchbasin location through the hill to the outfall point.

Step 208 specifies installing a catch basin drain pipe in thedirectionally bored hole.

Step 210 specifies building the catch basin structure. The catch basinstructure must have sufficient depth in order to ensure a desirabledownward slope in a collection basin drain pipe.

Step 212 specifies building a dispersal structure coupled to the catchbasin drain pipe.

Step 214 specifies building the collection basin.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method for building the catch basinstructure specified in the method shown in FIG. 6. Step 250 specifiesexcavating a hole in the determine location for the catch basinstructure.

Step 252 specifies coupling a breathing pipe to the catch basin drainpipe.

Step 254 specifies attaching a reducing pipe to the catch basin drainpipe.

Step 256 specifies installing a catch basin in the excavated hole

Step 258 specifies building a cover structure over the catch basin drainpipe and reducing pipe. Typically, the cover structure is made bypouring concrete in the hole around the catch basin, catch basin drainpipe and reducing pipe, but other materials and methods may be used. Thecover structure is formed with a channel running from an opening in thecatch basin to the reducing pipe. The cover structure is formed with anentrance structure coupling the channel with an opening in the catchbasin. The entrance is constructed so that the transition between thewalls of the catch basin and the walls of the channel are sculpted,rounded and smooth.

The foregoing described embodiments depict different componentscontained within, or connected with, different other components. It isto be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary,and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented whichachieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangementof components to achieve the same functionality is effectively“associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, anytwo components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality canbe seen as “associated with” each other such that the desiredfunctionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedialcomponents. Likewise, any two components so associated can also beviewed as being “operably connected”, or “operably coupled”, to eachother to achieve the desired functionality.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that,based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from this invention and its broader aspects and,therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope allsuch changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scopeof this invention. Furthermore, it is to be understood that theinvention is solely defined by the appended claims. It will beunderstood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein,and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appendedclaims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term“including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” theterm “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term“includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,”etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if aspecific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such anintent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence ofsuch recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimrecitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one suchrecitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases“one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or“an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “atleast one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use ofdefinite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, evenif a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitlyrecited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitationshould typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number(e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without othermodifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or morerecitations).

Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appendedclaims.

1. A bluff penetrating outfall drainage system to remove surface waterfrom atop a hill with a bluff on a side of the hill comprising: a catchbasin located behind the bluff; a cover structure abutting the catchbasin, the cover structure penetrated by a channel, the cover structurehaving an entrance structure coupling the channel with an opening in thecatch basin, wherein the entrance structure is sculpted, round andsmooth; a reducer pipe having a large aperture in one end, a smallaperture in the other end and a gradually reducing aperture in-betweenthe large and small apertures, the end with the large aperture coupledwith the channel; a catch basin drain pipe coupled with the smallaperture end of the reducer pipe, the catch basin drain pipe extendingthrough the hill to an outfall point near a toe of the bluff; and abreathing pipe coupled to the catch basin drain pipe, the breathing pipeextending to above a surface of the hill.
 2. The system of claim 1wherein the catch basin is located in a position relative to the outfallpoint resulting in a desired downward slope for the catch basin drainpipe from the catch basin to the outfall point.
 3. The system of claim1, wherein the desired downward slope for the catch basin drain pipefrom the catch basin to the outfall point is in the range of 30% to100%.
 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dispersal structurecoupled to the catch basin drain pipe.
 5. The system of claim 4 whereinthe dispersal structure further comprises a spreader pipe withperforations, wherein the spreader pipe is coupled to the catch basindrain pipe, wherein the spreader pipe is oriented transverse to thecatch basin drain pipe.
 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the spreaderpipe further comprises a removable end cap.
 7. The system of claim 5wherein the dispersal structure further comprises: an erosion-resistancesurface under the spreader pipe; a gabion basket coupled with thespreader pipe; and a layer of loose rocks disposed over the spreaderpipe.
 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the outfall point is below theknee of the bluff.
 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the outfall pointnear the bluff toe further comprises the outfall point within a distanceof the bluff toe equal to 25% of the elevation gain of the bluff. 10.The system of claim 1, further comprising: a collection basin locatedbehind the bluff; and a collection basin drain pipe extending from thecollection basin to the catch basin.
 11. A method to construct adrainage outfall system through a hill with a bluff on one side of thehill comprising: excavating a hole for a catch basin atop the hill andbehind the bluff; directionally boring a hole from the hole for thecatch basin through the hill to an outfall point close to a toe of thebluff; installing a catch basin drain pipe in the directionally boredhole; coupling a breathing pipe to the catch basin drain pipe; attachinga reducing pipe to the catch basin drain pipe; installing the catchbasin in the hole for the catch basin; building a cover structure overthe reducing pipe, the cover structure penetrated by a channel, thecover structure having an entrance structure coupling the channel withan opening in the catch basin, wherein the entrance structure issculpted, rounded and smooth; installing a dispersal structure at theoutfall point; coupling the catch basin drain pipe to the dispersalstructure; building a collection basin; and installing a collectionbasin drain pipe from the collection basin to the catch basin.
 12. Themethod of claim 11, further comprising: determining a location for acollection basin behind the bluff; determining a location for an outfallpoint near the toe of the bluff; determining a location for a catchbasin behind the bluff based on factors that include the location of thecollection basin, and the location of the outfall point, a desired slopefor a collection basin drain pipe between the collection basin and thecatch basin and a desired slope for a catch basin drain pipe between thecatch basin and the outfall point;
 13. The system of claim 12, whereinthe desired slope for the catch basin drain pipe from the catch basin tothe outfall point is in the range of 30% to 100%.
 14. A drainage systemto remove surface water from a watershed atop a hill behind a bluffcomprising: a collection basin configured to collect the surface waterfrom the watershed; a first pipe configured to drain the water from thecollection basin; a catch basin structure configured to receive thewater from the first pipe; a second pipe configured to drain the waterfrom the catch basin structure, through the hill, to an outfall pointclose to a toe of the bluff; and a dispersal structure configured toreceive the water from the second pipe and configured to distribute thewater over a section of ground.
 15. The system of claim 11, wherein thesecond pipe has a slope in the range of 30% to 100%.
 16. The system ofclaim 14 wherein the dispersal structure comprises: a spreader pipeconfigured to distribute the water through perforations in the spreaderpipe; an erosion-resistance surface disposed beneath the spreader pipeand configured to protect the section of ground from erosion by thewater; and a layer of loose rocks over the spreader pipe and configuredto slow the water.
 17. The system of claim 14 wherein the catch basinstructure comprises: a catch basin; a cover structure abutting the catchbasin, the cover structure penetrated by a channel, the cover structurehaving an entrance structure coupling the channel with an opening in thecatch basin, wherein the entrance structure is sculpted, round andsmooth; a reducer pipe having a large aperture in one end, a smallaperture in the other end and a gradually reducing aperture in-betweenthe large and small apertures, the end with the large aperture coupledwith the channel, the small aperture end of the reducer pipe coupledwith the second pipe; and a breathing pipe coupled to the second pipe,the breathing pipe extending to above a surface of the hill.
 18. Amethod to remove water from a watershed atop a hill behind a bluffcomprising: receiving the water in a catch basin behind the bluff; anddraining the water from the catch basin through a catch basin drain piperouted at a 30% to 100% slope through the hill to an outfall point closeto a toe of the bluff.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:receiving the water in a dispersal structure from the catch basin drainpipe; and slowing flow of the water as the water passes throughperforations in a spreader pipe and subsequently through a layer ofstones.
 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: collecting thewater in a collection basin behind the bluff; and draining the waterfrom the collection basin to the catch basin.